WESTBROOK – A national chain of Mexican restaurants now has its permits to open in its newest location next week in a shopping plaza in Westbrook, but the former tenant of that property, a video rental store, will not be returning to an adjacent space as originally planned.
On Monday, Westbrook’s municipal officers, a governing body made up of the City Council plus the mayor that oversees various business licenses in the city, voted unanimously, with Dorothy Aube absent, to grant liquor and food service licenses to Chipotle Mexican Grill, the Denver-based chain.
The vote passed without comment, and followed a public hearing, where there was also no public comment. The chain plans to open a new restaurant Feb. 14 at the Westbrook Crossing shopping plaza on Main Street, according to David Fleming, a spokesman for W.S. Development, the Chestnut Hill, Mass.-based company that owns the plaza.
Chipotle will occupy half of the space that used to be the home of Blockbuster. Back in September 2011, W.S. Development announced it would be splitting the space in two, to make room for Chipotle.
At first, Blockbuster pulled out completely, with the plan to return to the smaller space, but just before the end of 2011, Fleming said, W.S. Development learned the video rental store had other plans.
“They’re not coming back,” he said.
Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy in September 2010, citing $1 billion in debt. Published reports indicate the company has been engaged ever since in a restructuring process, which has included closing nearly 200 of its locations across the country. Another local Blockbuster, in Mill Creek in South Portland, is also closing.
By contrast, Chipotle seems to be expanding. The chain opened a 73-seat restaurant in December 2010 at 359 Main Mall Road in South Portland, across the street from the Maine Mall. It was the first location in the state. Chipolte is known for its dedication to using fresh, local ingredients in its burritos, tacos, salads and other foods.
Fleming said the future of the now-vacant space next to Chipotle is up in the air. Fleming said the space is about 3,500 square feet, and in a high-profile location.
“We don’t expect to have any trouble leasing the space,” he said. “We’re actively marketing it right now.”
Fleming said the company is open to virtually any kind of business, provided it fits in with the surrounding businesses.
“We want it to be complementary to the space,” he said.
The signs are up, the permits have been granted and Westbrook’s
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